Dark Souls mastermind Hidetaka Miyazaki is a sadistic man. This has been self-evident through the releases of both Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, two of the most unabashedly challenging games to be released in this generation, if not ever. They demand an unusual sort of confidence from their players, and an attitude that refuses to give up even when failure has stripped everything else away.
He’s a sadistic man and, as he recently revealed in an interview with IGN, a massive troll.
When a player begins their quest in Dark Souls and creates their avatar, they are offered the choice between a few artifacts that may aid them over the course of the game. The benefits are generally minor, but distinct enough to influence one’s playstyle a bit. None, however, more so than the Pendant.
Ah, the Pendant. It has no apparent use, its hidden virtues having long eluded the gaming populace. So why is it that hopeful questers have picked this seemingly superfluous accessory? Blame Miyazaki; in an early interview following the release of the game, when asked which artifact he would pick, he stated that he would take either the Pendant or nothing. Cue the stampede of players picking the Pendant and poring over the game.
Now, Miyazaki admits that it was a case of intentional misdirection, “When it comes to the pendant, I actually had a little bit of an intention to play a prank.”
Of note, the Artorias of the Abyss DLC includes a boss character named Manus, a human who is obsessed with a pendant. I invite you to draw your own conclusions.